CURRENT TOPICS THE SCOTTISH ECONOMIC SOCIETY, 1954‐55
| Author | Mr. F. S. Taylor |
| Published date | 01 February 1955 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9485.1955.tb00727.x |
| Date | 01 February 1955 |
CURRENT TOPICS
THE
SCOlTISH
ECONOMIC
SOCIETY,
1954-55
IN
its
first
year in its new form, the Scottish Economic Society has
been successful in arousing a good deal of interest
in
its
chief aim
of
encouraging
serious
discussion of social and economic issues in
Scotland.
Its
inaugural meeting in March
1954
was widely and
favourably reported by the National Press, and the leading Scottish
newspapers have from time
to
time commented on articles published
in the “Scottish Journal of Political Economy.” By the
end
of
Decem-
ber
1954
just over
300
members had joined the Society, a number
which may be interpreted
as
promising, but by no means satisfactory
in a country which has many social and economic problems, worthy
of
serious study, to which widespread publicity is often given. Without
the support of the Scottish Universities, the financial effort
of
launching
a new periodical would have proved impossible, and
a
big increase
in
membership is still needed if this support is
to
becqme unnecessary.
The membership of the Society, however, does not give
a
complete
picture of the demand for the “Journal.”
Its
total circulation has
been about
500
per issue.
Since March
1954
the chief new development in furtherance of the
Society’s aims has been the start made with local branches.
In
Edinburgh there have been three meetings, in Glasgow two, and
in
Aberdeen
four.
In Edinburgh and Glasgow the meetings have been
held in the halls of the Institute
of
Chartered Accountants
of
Scotland.
and in Aberdeen in the Chamber of Commerce
room,
and the Society
is grateful to these organisations and
to
others, such as the Faculty
of Actuaries, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Chambers
of
Commerce and
several of the leading Scottish Banks. for assistance, support and
co-operation given in this and in other ways. In
St.
Andrews, the
Society’s activities have been linked with the work
of
the
Political
Economy Club in the University. and in Dundee it is hoped
to
make
a start
soon
along the lines
of
the other branches.
The average attendance at branch meetings seems
to
be between
thirty and fifty, which shows that they have achieved their object in
appealing
to
nonmembers. to whom they have been open, as well
as
to
members. The local Committees have taken care
to
publicise
the meetings and get audiences that are widely representative of the
community as a whole, and from each centre there have been reports
of
lively discussions stimulated by the papers read. To take one
example only
:
at
the
last meeting
in
Aberdeen several trade unionists
were prominent in the excellent discussion which followed an address
on American Trade Unions by the Labour Information Officer from
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